Piano-player.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. P. SHEPPY.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ll!lll lllllll!ll|Dllllllllglllllllllll lllllll'lllJ I II Alllll I- No. 779,323. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

F. SHEPPY.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1904.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK SHEPPY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDI/VIN GORDON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURIQ PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 779,323, -dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed June 20, 1904. Serial No. 213,215. i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SHEPPY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis,State of Missourhhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Players, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in piano-players; and it consists of the novel features herein shown, described, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my improved piano-player in position for use, the upper and lower parts of the piano being broken away to economize space. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail illustrating the construction and operation of my improved piano-player upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail showing the mounting of the record, parts being broken away to economize space. Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation analogous to Fig. 3, showing the parts in different positions.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the base 6 is mounted upon the ledges 7 and 8, said ledges being at the ends of the keyboard, so as to bring the base immediately above the keyboard and parallel with the keys. The plungers 9 are slidingly mounted through the base 6, there being one plunger for each key, and an expansive coil-spring 1O encircles the plunger below the base, the upper end of the spring pressing against the base, and the lower end of the spring pressing against a stop-pin 11, carried by the plunger,the tension of the spring being exerted to snap the plunger downwardly against the key. Guide-rollers 12 are mounted upon brackets 13, extending upwardly from the base 6, and cords 1 L extend from plungers 9 over the guide-rollers 12. Bell-crank levers 15 are mounted upon a shaft 16, said shaft being supported'by a bracket 17, extending upwardly from the base 6 at the left-hand end of the keyboard, there being one lever for each cord. The bell-crank levers are mounted with their lower ends substantially in vertical positions and their upper ends in substantially horizontal positions, and fingers 18 extend upwardly from the free horizontal ends of the levers to engage the record 19. A motor 20 is mounted upon the end of the base 6 at the right-hand end of the piano for operating the record 19. An attaching-plate 21 is secured to the base 6 near the motor 20, a vertical supporting-arm 22 extends upwardly from the plate, and a bearing 23 is carried by the upper end of the arm. A horizontal arm 24: extends from the center of the arm 22, and the bearing 25 is hinged to the outer end of the arm 24. The record-roller 26 is mounted with one of its spindles in the bearing 23 and the other spindle in the bearing 25. A sprocket-chain 27 connects the motor 20 to the sprocket-gear 28 carried by the roller 26, and the teeth of the sprocket-gear 29, carried by the roller 26, engage in the perforations 30 of the record 19, so as to move the record as the roller is driven by the motor. A springcatch 31 is pivoted to the bearing 25 in position to engage in the groove 32 of the spindle of the roller 26, and a spring 33 holds the catch 31 in the groove 32, so as to hold the bearing 25 in place and keep the record running straight upon the roller 26. A plate 34: issecured to the base 6 at the opposite end from the plate 21, and the record-supporting arm 35 is pivotally connected to this plate, there being a stop 36 extending upwardly from the plate to engage the arm 35 and limit its motion. A record-roller 37 is carried by the arm 35 in a plane parallel with the roller 26, and the record or perforated note-sheet 19 runs upon this roller 37 as upon the roller 26. A latch-arm 38 extends from the arm 35 to engage the latch 39 and hold the arm 35 in its vertical position. hen the latch 39 is operated to release the arm 38, the arm 35 will swing toward the roller 26 and loosen the record, so that it may readily be removed from the roller 37. The fingers 18, carried Then as the record moves the fingers 18 will enter the perforations 4:0 in the record 19, thus releasing the plunger corresponding to the finger which enters the perforation and allowing the plunger to strike the piano-key.

I claim 1. In a piano-player: a base adapted to be mounted above the keys; plungers slidingly mounted through the base; there being one plunger for each key, and the plungers being in position to strike directly upon the keys; coil-springs in position to snap the plungers down upon the keys; guide-rollers mounted above the base; a series of bell-crank levers mounted upon a shaft above the base; cords extending from the bell-crank levers over the guide-rollers to the plungers; a motor mounted upon the base; a perforated note-sheet mounted above the base and parallel therewith; and means whereby the motor moves the perforated notesheet; said perforated note-sheet being in contact with the bell-crank levers so as to operate the plungers; substantially as specified.

2. In a piano-player: a base; plungers slidingly mounted through the base; guide-rollers mounted upon the base above the plungers; a series of bell-crank levers mounted upon a shaft; cords connecting the bell-crank lovers with the plungers and extending over the guide-rollers; a record mechanism for operating the bell-crank levers; said record mechanism comprising an attaching-plate 21 secured to the base; a vertical supporting-arm extending upwardly from the plate; a bearing at the upper end of the supporting-arm; a horizontal arm extending from the center of the supporting-arm; a bearing hinged to the outer end of the horizontal arm and extending upwardly into alinement with the first bearing; a record-roller mounted in said bearings; a sprocket upon the record-roller; a motor; a sprocket-chain connecting the sprocket to the motor; a plate secured to the opposite end of the base; a record-supporting arm pivotally connected to this plate; a record-roller carried by the record-supporting arm; and a perforated note-sheet mounted upon the recordroller in position to engage the bell-crank levers; substantially as specified.

3. In a1 )ianoplayer: the means of supporting one end of the record, which comprises: an attaching-plate; a vertical supporting-arm extending upwardlyfrom the plate; a bearing at the upper end of the supporting-arm; a horizontal arm extending from the center of the vertical arm; a bearing hinged to the outer end of the horizontal arm in alinement with the first bearing; and a record-roller mounted with its spindles in said bearings; substantially as specified.

I. In a piano-player: a base adapted to be mounted upon the piano above the keys and parallel therewith; a record; and means 01. mounting the record above the base and parallel therewith; said means comprising: an attaching-plate secured to one end of the base; a vertical supporting-arm extending upwardly from the plate; a bearing at the upper end of the supporting-arm; a horizontal arm extending from the center of the supporting-arm; a second bearing hinged to the outer end of the horizontal arm in alinement with the first bearing; arecord-roller mounted with its spindles in said bearings; a second attaching-plate secured to the opposite end of the base; a recordsupporting arm pivotally connected to this second attaching-plate; latching mechanism for holding the pivoted supporting-arm in its vertical position; a record-roller mounted in the upper end of the pivoted sup 'iorting-arm; said record being mounted upon the record roller; and means whereby the movement of the record operates the keys of the piano; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK SHEPPY.

IVitnesses:

ALFRED A. Eroxs, F. C. CRISLER. 

